Sen. Lott Shows How and Secures Means to Topple Saddam

(Washington, D.C.): Even as the Clinton Administration once again shows itself unable or
unwilling to address the threat posed by Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction in
the only way certain to be effective — namely, by removing him and his clique from power —
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) has once again insisted that the
latter should be the
object of American policy. Better yet, he has helped to secure the first increment of funding
needed to achieve that objective.

Toward a ‘Free Iraq’

Sen. Lott met yesterday with Dr. Ahmad Chalabi, President of the
Executive Council of the
Iraqi National Congress — the broadly representative, democratic and pro-Western
political
opposition to Saddam Hussein’s regime. Afterwards, Senator Lott declared: “I have
long
advocated a policy designed to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Only this will end the
threat posed by Iraq once and for all.”

As Sen. Lott noted toward this end: “Final congressional action is expected this week on an
amendment [to the Defense supplemental authorization report] I authored providing $10
million
to support the democratic opposition and to establish a ‘Radio Free Iraq.'” What is more, the
State Department authorization conference report passed in the Senate today under Senator
Lott’s leadership provided an additional $38 million to aid those who seek to
liberate Iraq from
Saddam’s tyranny and bring a Free Iraq once again into the family of nations.

These initiatives are important first steps towards reconstituting and empowering the
democratic
opposition to Saddam’s regime. Of particular importance is the contribution surrogate
broadcasting can make to breaking the monopoly on information enjoyed by Saddam Hussein — a
key to the exercise of totalitarian power.⁽¹⁾ Such a radio
service will be able to let the Iraqi people
know of Saddam’s direct responsibility for the hardship they are currently experiencing; it will
also facilitate the opposition’s efforts to expand liberated areas and garner support within those
parts of Iraq that remain under the dictator’s thumb.

The Bottom Line

Senator Lott said yesterday, “I hope the Administration will engage seriously with
the
Congress in moving toward a policy toward Iraq that is designed to achieve the goal of
ending Saddam’s reign of terror.” The Clinton administration could powerfully signal
its
embrace, albeit belatedly, of this goal by having President Clinton follow Senator Lott’s
in
meeting with Dr. Chalabi. Until then, the Majority Leader is to be commended for
stepping
into the breach — and his colleagues in the Congress for following his strategically important lead.

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1. The growing recognition of the critical role surrogate
broadcasting can play not only in
Iraq but in Iran and China, as well, should impel Congress to rescind the present directive
to terminate the existing Freedom Radio broadcast services — Radio Free Europe and
Radio Liberty.